My laboratory is engaged in research on the composition, structure and function of the ribonucleo protein core (RNP) of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). In particular, we are studying an in vitro coupled transcription translation and replication system in order to better understand the mechanism of action of the VSV specific replicase; also by using immunologic electron microscopic techniques, we are studying the composition of the RNP particles, both in the cell and derived from purified virus. In particular we are interested in the number of enzymes associated with virion RNP particles and with functional intracellular RNP particles. We would also like to examine the number of enzymatic activities associated with the L protein and NS proteins of the RNP core, which acts as the transcriptase during infection. These two proteins are also possibly involved in a protein kinase function, the replicase function, methylation and capping of the messenger RNA synthesized by the RNP particles, etc. Using purified enzyme and purified RNP particles, these enzymatic activities will be studied in relation to their activity in RNP particles. We are also carrying out studies to establish whether or not one or both of the envelope proteins act in suppressing transcriptase function following package of the RNP particles into completed virions.